Difference Between Cosmos and Universe

The world that we live in is very vast and boundless. While the human race is confined and live in a small portion of the world, people are aware of the existence of other planets and galaxies as well as many other things in the universe and the cosmos.

“Cosmos” is defined as a harmonious and orderly whole, a system that is governed not by human or supernatural laws but by natural law. It is used to refer to objects that exist naturally especially those that can be seen in the sky. The term “cosmos” has two connotations. It comes from the Greek word “kosmos” which means “order, good order,” or “orderly arrangement” from which the verb “kosmein” which means “arrange” or “adorn” is derived and passed on to the English language.

It was first used by Pythagoras, a 6th century Greek philosopher, mathematician (he discovered the Pythagorean Theorem), and founder of the religious movement Pythagoreanism to refer to the whole physical world or the universe.

“Universe” is defined as “everything that exists including all matter and energy, the Earth, and everything in it together with extraterrestrial or celestial bodies such as the galaxies, stars, meteors, and everything that can be found in intergalactic space.” It is everything that existed, that is existing, and will exist. It has three elements, namely; space and time or the vacuum, matter and energy that occupy space and time, and the physical laws that govern them which have been constant throughout its history.

The concept of the universe was first developed by the Ancient Greeks. The term “universe” comes from the Latin word “universus” which means “whole, entire, all together, or turned into one” which was first used by Cicero. It entered the English language through the Old French “univers” which means “the whole world” which was in turn based on the Greek word “holos” which means “whole.” It appeared in the English language in 1589 in Puttenham’s work “The Arte of English Poesie” but was first used in 1385 in Chaucer’s poem “Troilus and Criseyde.”

The words “cosmos” and “universe” are used synonymously as they refer to the same concept which is the world or nature. “Universe” seems to have a narrower or smaller scope than “cosmos,” though, and “cosmos” signifies a larger and more complex system.

Summary:

1.“Cosmos” is a whole harmonious and orderly system that is governed by natural law while “universe” is everything that exists including time and space, matter, and the laws that govern them.
2.The word “cosmos” comes from the Greek word “kosmos” which means “order or orderly arrangement” while the word “universe” comes from the Latin word “universus” which means “whole or entire,” also from the Greek “holos” which also means “whole.”
3.The word “cosmos” was first used by the Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras while the word “universe” was first used by the Roman philosopher, theorist, and statesman Cicero.
4.“Universe” may connote a much smaller scope while “cosmos” implies a larger scope.

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Written by : Emelda M.
and updated on October 11, 2011

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